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Milan (Milano in Italian; Mediolanum in the ancient Roman Empire), is a Italian city situated in the northern part of Italy, capital of the Milano Province and Lombardy region. It is the second Italian largest city after Rome; a commercial, financial and cultural center. Milan is also a very modern city, with industrial sattelites. In 1964 a subway transport system was opened.

The main square in Milan is Piazza del Duomo (The Dome Square). At one end of the square stands the impressive Dome of Milan, better said a cathedral built in Gothic style with white marble. The Duomo was built in 1386 and finished in 1965. In the southwest of the square is the Basilica di Sant'Ambrogio. Another landmark of the square is the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie built in the 15th century. Near this church is an ex-Dominican monastery.

Cultural Institutions

Through the cultural institutions in the city of Milan, the most important are the Brera Palace built in the 17th century, who hosts the Brere Academy of Arts, a library and an art gallery; the Ambrosiana Palace is also a cultural landmark in Milan; it hosts the Ambrosiana library which was opened in 1609 and is among the first public libraries in Europe if not the first one. In Milan are also art museums, the Institute for the Study of International Politics, a music conservatory, important Italian universities, but none of them are most famous than the Scala theatre and opera house.

Industry

The city exceeds in the chemicals and textiles industries. Other important industries are the aircraft industry, the food industry, the glass, the leather and the rubber goods industry which (mainly it produces tires). Also in Milan is the main stock exchange in Italy, bigger than the one in Rome, the capital of Italy.

History

The first name of Milan was Mediolanum. The city was estabilished by the Celts. Then, it was captured by the Roman empire in 222 BC. In this period the city grown very much. The city was destroyed by the Goths in 539. At the end of the 900s the city begun to fluorish again. In the Middle Age the city of Milan had been governed by several archibishops, those governors giving the city a degree of independence. In 1277 the power of the city was in the hands of one family, the Visconti's which ruled the town for about 170 years. In 1500 the city was conquered by France. The next invaders were the Swiss and then the Austrians. Then the Milan was in the hands of the Spaniards. They ruled until 1713, when the city was left to the Austrians. But the city was ruled again by the French and Napoleon made it the capital of the Cisalpine Republic in 1796. The city came in the hands of Austria in 1815 and in 1848 they expelled them (the Austrians) from the city. In 1859 the city was free and two years later they joined the kingdom of Italy. In the World War II the city suffered very seriously from the bombings. After the war Milan entered in a straight line of prosperity and city reconstruction.

Population

1991 estimated: 1,370,000 (aproximatively).

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